milliways_bar | (no subject)

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shufti

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The boys have been discharged from hospital, and Shufti is in good spirits tonight. She has both twins snuggled up together in a moses basket as she comes to the bar, and currently all is quiet (because it isn't, of course, two in the morning).

"Hey Bar. Did I miss much?" she asks, putting the basket down next to her.

Bar gives her a cupcake.

'You don't want to know'

"Uh oh. I better go look in the office then, in a minute."

She reaches into the basket to disentangle Brian, who has just had his hair grabbed by Nathan.

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Teja is sitting in his usual chair by the fireplace, not playing his harp for once.

The reason for that is the red-headed toddler of about fourteen months, sleeping in the Goth's lap.

He smiles at Shufti, and nods to her as she enters.

Shufti waves, then brings her basket of twins over.

"Hey Teja." she says softly. "He's getting big, isn't he?"

"He is," Teja says. "While yours seem to have made their way outside, at least. Congratulations! What are their names?"

"Thanks." Shufti grins. "That's Brian on the left, and Nathan on the right. Jack tried to switch them at one point to see if I would notice."

"And you do?" Teja says.

"Oh yes." Shufti says. "Though it's hard to describe to other people, they do look slightly different. They're identical twins though, so most people haven't got the knack yet."

"Would you be angry at me if I ascribed it to a mother's instinct?" Teja says.

"Not at all. It makes a change from people who tell me it's because they're black..." Shufti says, with a grimace.

"Poor Jack got all sorts of questions at school, he was really worried at first that people might not believe they are his brothers because he's so fair."

"The have different fathers -- is that so difficult to understand?" Teja says.

"I don't think Jack has really told his school friends about his birth father." Shufti says. "Because most of the kids he knows from split families are still in touch with their birth dads, and he can't explain that his is on a different planet. And since meeting Johnny, he's even more keen to emphasise that Carl is his dad.

But anyone with a basic knowledge of genetics can tell that Jack has a different birth dad. I don't think it's even possible for a black dad and a red headed mum to have a blonde kid."

"I know not," Teja says. "I know little of what is called genetics. Carl is not very dark for one that is considered black, so there must be fair-skinned and fair-haired people among his ancestors."

"If there are, they aren't in his current family members." Shufti says.

~~Mun had to research this on Wikipedia when looking for twin pbs.~~

"I know not much of it," Teja says. "But I will believe you, as you must know more of it."

"I had to look at it on the inter-net." Shufti says. "Because the children kept asking me questions. I think the twins will be a little darker than Leah, when they get older. Black children apparently are a bit lighter when they are born."

Nathan wakes up, at this point, and starts to whimper. Shufti lifts him out so that he doesn't wake Brian.

"They are sweet little creatures," Teja says, looking at the baby Shufti is holding.

His attitude to children has changed much, between the children in Gotland, and Egil.

"Do you want to hold him?" Shufti asks.

Nathan sucks his fingers and looks vaguely in Teja's direction.

"Is it safe, while Egil is still asleep upon my lap?"

"If you can support his head, otherwise maybe better to wait." Shufti says. "I wouldn't want to disturb Egil."

"Of course I can do that," Teja says, holding out his arms for the child.

Shufti carefully lifts Nathan over. He's quite a little baby, since he had to be delivered a few weeks earlier, so he's now about newborn size.

Teja takes him, very careful with the head, and holds him on his arm, safely above Egil, who still sleeps.

Nathan snuggles slightly, content.

"You've got good with babies." Shufti says. "With all that practice."

"I never thought that I would," Teja says, quietly, still holding the tiny fellow safely on his arm.

[ooc: Fade here in the adorableness? Thanks for the thread!]

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